Wild Cards
by msof57
Summary: June Simmons had been perfectly happy with her life until the integration of T.C. Williams. With a football team on the verge of falling apart, a colored captain of the cheerleading squad, and Jerry Harris following her around like he's practically in love with her, June may just have a change of heart. Rev/OC Emma/Gerry
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! I am completely ecstatic to be bringing you my newest fanfic, "Wild Cards!" Yes, it's a romance of course, but I'm excited this is going to be a fanfic under _Remember the Titans_ and not _Titanic_. :) This time however, things are going to be a little different. Instead of writing the entire story and uploading it all at once, I'm going to write it chapter by chapter so I can get feedback! So please, REVIEWS ARE LOVE. The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll upload the chapters! So here I give you the Prologue to "Wild Cards." Enjoy, laugh, cry, smile, and review!**

**_How fickle my heart and how woozy my eyes  
I struggle to find any truth in your lies  
And now my heart stumbles on things I don't know  
My weakness I feel I must finally show_**

**-"Awake My Soul" by Mumford & Sons**

* * *

"_...And with the new federal desegregation order in act, T.C. Williams will be the first integrated school in Alexandria. The school board has issued a statement saying that are currently in the process of integrating the staff as well to help relieve tensions among incoming students this school year. The new head football coach, Herman Boone, has recently commented that he is in the process of making last year's head coach, Bill Yoast, assistant head coach this year in order to help encourage students of both races to join the team-_"

"June, could you shut that off? It's time for dinner!"

June Simmons sighed as her mother's shrill voice cut off the reporter. She shut off the TV on her dresser and walked downstairs, a scowl evident on her face. When she walked into the kitchen, her mother was setting the table, her dark curls pinned away from her face as if she was going out. Her brother, Ken, sat at his spot at the table, drool nearly coming out of his mouth as he watched their mother set a steaming bowl of mashed potatoes on the table.

"I've got meatloaf in the oven," her mother said, lightly smacking her brother's hand away from the potatoes. "Hurry up and wash up before your brother eats the table."

The thirteen year-old frowned, sticking his tongue out at her as she turned around to get the meatloaf. June smiled to herself and washed her hands, moving out of the way as her mother literally waltzed past her with the main course. The meal was a quiet one, not unusual with their family though. The only sound that could be heard was the clinking of silverware and her brother's loud chewing from the other side of the table.

"Ken," her mother scolded, "For heaven's sake, try to have some manners!"

He stopped, rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his iced tea. Her mother's gaze wandered to June, who was playing with her peas on her fork. She sighed and let them plop back onto her plate.

"Nervous about school?" her mother asked. "You've still got another couple of weeks or so before it starts up again."

"I guess so," June mumbled, throwing her napkin on her plate and leaning back in her chair. "I'm just nervous about... well..."

Her mother nodded, immediately understanding what she was talking about. The school district had finally been pressured into integrating the high school. They'd held off as long as they could, but it was rumored that the head of the school board would be arrested if they waited any longer, so they finally broke down and announced at the end of the school year last year they'd be letting the colored school down the street into the senior high. It was a pain in the butt, especially since they had decided to integrate the two schools her senior year. There would be protests for weeks from angry parents and staff outside the school grounds, just like the ones she'd seen on the news from other integrations around the area.

"Things will turn out alright," her mother said, pouring herself another glass of iced tea.

"Yeah, but we'll have no football team!" Ken blurted out. They both turned towards him, taken aback by his harsh tone. "You know," he continued, his voice softer, "There being a colored coach and all. None of the boys are going to want to join!"

Her mother coughed lightly. "Well, let's just be thankful no one in this family is on the team."

"Momma," June said, "Integration doesn't just affect classes and sports. There will be colored girls on the squad now too. And a colored girl may end up as captain."

"See?" Ken said, shoving another spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. "There won't even be cheerleaders!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," her mother scolded. "You've only got one year of high school left, June. Just keep your distance and I'm sure everything will be fine!"

The table fell silent again and Ken shoveled the last of his dinner into his mouth before running out the door to play football with the neighborhood boys. Her mother began to clear the table while June shuffled to the sink to wash the dishes. A late summer breeze blew through the open screen doors, warming the room with its smell of late evening barbeques and campfires. She patted her blonde hair, hoping the humidity outside wouldn't make it frizz. Her mother plopped tonight's dishes into the soapy water below her, interrupting her thoughts. She began scrubbing, glad to have something to keep her mind off the upcoming school year.

The phone rang on the other side of the room, making her jump and splash water on the floor. As she grabbed a towel to clean it up, her mother answered it.

"Hello? Oh yes... yep... yes, she's right here."

Her mother held the phone out to her. "It's Emma."

Emma Hoyt had been June's best friend since the seventh grade. She was editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, won homecoming queen two years in a row, and was dating All-American football star, Gerry Bertier, which turned many of the girls in their grade green with envy.

"Hello?" June said, putting the phone to her ear.

"_June_!" Emma's voice said excitedly, "_Did you hear the news_?"

"About what?" she asked, twirling the phone cord in her hand and leaning against the kitchen wall.

"_Coach Yoast had a big dinner with the boys tonight announcing that he was going to take a year off-_"

"He's _what_?"

"_Hush up, June! Let me finish! He was in the middle of explaining he was going to take a year off because of the demotion, when the boys announced they weren't going to play if he left_!"

"But these boys love football! I bet you at least half are counting on this season to get college scholarships!"

"_No, _listen_! Coach Yoast agreed to stay! There's rumors he may get the position of assistant head coach_!"

June's face lit up. "That's great! Oh gosh, Emma, you have no idea how much all of this has been worrying me! If we don't have a football team, that's it for cheerleading season!"

"_Don't worry about it. Gerry and the boys will run these colored players right off the field and the team will be just like it was last year. And with no colored guys on the team, what colored girl is going to want to join the cheerleading squad_?"

_She has a point_, June thought.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. So when does Gerry head off to football camp?"

"_A couple days or so... I'm scared for him! All those colored folk hate us and who knows what they'll do to him_!"

She laughed. "Emma, you really don't have anything to worry about. With his size and strength, he could take any one of those black boys down in a second!"

She heard relief in her friend's voice as she said, "_Yeah, I suppose you're right. Anyway, since we're on the topic of sports, how's Walker doing? Still wrestling this year_?"

"Yeah, he's alright. He's been at the beach for the past couple of weeks with his family. My mailbox has been flooded with postcards!" June said, smiling as she glanced at the postcard currently sitting on the kitchen counter.

Walter Jones and June had been going steady for nearly eight months. He was the captain of the wrestling team and brought the team all the way to the regional's championship last year. They were crazy about each other, and this beach trip was the longest they'd been away from each other since they'd started dating.

"_How adorable_!" Emma's voice exclaimed from the other line. "_You two are cutest thing ever! You guys will definitely get a nomination for homecoming court!_"

"That's sweet, but we both know you and Gerry are going to win."

"_You never know_," her friend said, but she was only saying that to be polite. There was a short pause, both of them not knowing what to say before Emma spoke up again. "_Well, I gotta go. I'm meeting Gerry for a picnic. But before I go, are you doing anything next Friday? Kelly, Paula, and I were going to have a sleepover at my house_!"

"Sounds like fun! Yeah, I'll be there."

"_Awesome! See you then! Bye June_!"

"Bye, Emma," she said, cut off by the receiver on the other end. She glanced up at her mother by the sink, eager to hear what Emma had to say.

As she hung up the phone, she sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair, worrying about the frizz again.

It was going to be a long year.


	2. The Library

**6/19/12**

**I would really appreciate some reviews you guys! :) What's the point of even publishing this if I don't know anyone's reading it?**

**I'm heading to Europe for the next couple weeks (Yeehaw, I can't wait!). I'll be in Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia touring the world's music capitals on my American Music Abroad trip! I spent nearly all day packing and trying to keep my luggage under 35 lbs and trust me, it's been a struggle when you're addicted to shoes like I am! However, that means limited internet access and I won't be able to publish anymore chapters until I get back on the 9th. But don't worry, I will have plenty of time to write on my ten hour flight... (totally NOT looking forward to that!) So if, AND ONLY IF, I get enough reviews I will publish three or four chapters when I get back.  
**

**Yes, I know I'm being mean by holding my chapters hostage until I get reviews... but I'm tired of publishing stories and not getting very much feedback. SO REVIEW PEOPLE. REVIEW LIKE JUNE'S LIFE DEPENDS ON IT. (I know you're not that attached to her, we're only on chapter one, but for my sake just pretend like you are.)  
**

**_So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin_  
_ You're waiting for someone to perform with_  
_ And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do_  
_ The movement you need is on your shoulder_  
**

**-"Hey Jude" by the Beatles**

* * *

The boys were back from camp.

The town had been unusually quiet while they had been gone. The rowdy teenagers weren't there to fill the silence with their laughter and jabbering. The town had been in an uproar before they left for camp due to a white man shooting a black teenager outside one of the convenient stores in the town's shopping center and the boys had been some of the first to start the riots. Gerry and Walker had lingered outside the shop for days, warning any colored man that walked past they'd be next. But with them gone, this had quieted down significantly and things were almost back to normal.

Walker, Emma, and June were sitting at one of the booths in the back of the local soda shop. Walker had his arm around June, stroking her shoulder with his thumb while Emma slurped away noisily at her root beer float.

"He'll be here any minute," June comforted, pushing the float away from her.

"I know, I know," Emma said, pushing her long blonde hair from her face. "I'm just nervous. He gets so tense around colored folk and he just spent two weeks cooped up with one of them in a dorm!"

Walker's arm tensed up around June's shoulders. His dark eyes narrowed, giving him an appearance she didn't like. She patted his leg with her free hand, giving him a small smile as she continued to look over her menu. Emma began slurping away at her float again until there was none left and she resorted to biting her nails, worry evident in her light green eyes.

The bell to the shop's door rung as it swung open. Gerry Bertier's crooked smile could be seen over the many rows of booths and in one swift movement, Emma was out of the booth and in Gerry's arms, kissing him lightly on the lips. They walked back to June and Walker, hand in hand, huge grins on both of their faces.

"Welcome back, Bertier," Walker said, taking his arm from around her shoulder to shake his hand.

"June," Gerry said, flashing her a smile as Emma and he slid into the booth. "Missed seeing you two while I was gone. Camp was hell!"

Walker tried to ask more about it when the waitress came to take their order.

"Double bacon cheeseburger with fries," Walker ordered, handing June his menu. "And a chocolate milkshake, please."

"Shouldn't you be watching what you eat?" June teased as the waitress took Emma and Gerry's orders. She playfully poked him in the stomach, smiling, but it quickly vanished from the harsh look he gave her. She sighed and ordered a salad, giving the waitress their menus as Emma whispered something in Gerry's ear, making him laugh.

She sometimes envied Emma of having such a well rounded boyfriend. Gerry was well-mannered, handsome, tall, well-built... someone you wouldn't want to get into a fight with that's for sure. Walker on the other hand had a tendency to be rude and quick tempered when he was angry. When they first met he was strong and muscular but had let himself go after the wrestling team lost regional's and had gained some significant weight. She loved him, but sometimes she wished he would be more patient and understanding.

"How's the new coach?" Emma asked nervously to Gerry.

He looked around the table at the three of them, his eyebrows drawn together in deep thought. June looked at Walker, whose expression had grown dark and serious again. Gerry had always been one of the first to put a colored student in line if he ever crossed him. In fact, she couldn't remember a single day after school last year where she didn't hear him throwing insult at the colored students walking home from school. It was unlike him to be hesitant if he was given an opportunity to insult colored folk.

"He's... crazy," he said at last. "For the first few days he had us doing three-a-days and doing up-downs like we were machines created to play football or somethin'."

She could hear Walker gritting his teeth together. "Yoast's still on board?" he asked.

"You bet," Gerry replied, leaning back as their waitress set a glass of pop in front of him. "Him and Boone were at each other's necks the entire time but we survived." He took a sip of his cream soda before another crooked smile broke across his face. "I'm team captain."

"That's great!" Emma exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. June took Walker's hand as he relaxed and he smiled at her, obviously relieved Gerry still held his position from last year. "Telling those blacks who's in charge, right Bertier?" he laughed, putting his arm back around June. She sat back into the crook of his arm, a smile on her face. Walked was like an animal when he was angry, and it was rare he was this affectionate in public.

Gerry's smile faltered slightly before he responded, "Somethin' like that..."

They were interrupted by their waitress returning with their food. Walker practically dove into his cheeseburger while Emma and Gerry shared their basket of chicken tenders. June poked around at her salad, eyeing Gerry as he laughed at one of Emma's jokes. She had never seen him so... well... _happy_. Before he had left, he had spent nearly every day complaining about the integration of the team. It was strange that he seemed alright with colored players on the team after only a couple of weeks, and she wasn't sure if she liked it.

The rest of the meal continued with Walker and Gerry talking about defensive positions and tactics while Emma and June secretly smiled at each other and shook their heads. They didn't understand boys and their need to talk about sports all the time. Even though June had been on the varsity cheerleading squad the past three years, she didn't really understand football that well. She just knew to cheer when a touchdown was scored or a first down or something along the lines of that occurred. When they paid and left, Gerry gave a quick nod and smile to the colored bus boy who was cleaning the booth next to theirs. June's eyes widened and she glanced at Walker nervously, but he hadn't seemed to notice his actions. Emma was too busy putting change in purse to notice either.

"Gerry," Emma said, "Let's head down to the Sears, they've got a new line of dresses I've been dying to try!"

She flashed him that smile could melt any guy's heart and get her anything she wants. As she guessed, Gerry's eyes grew soft as she grabbed his hand and began to pull him down the sidewalk.

"See you, Jones!" he called over his shoulder, laughing to himself.

"Later, Bertier!" Walker called. He glanced at June, shaking his head and smiling, before beginning to head back to the car.

"Did you notice anything different about Gerry?" she asked, taking his hand. He shrugged, interlacing their fingers. "What do you mean?"

She sighed. "He seemed, well, really laid back. I mean you saw how upset he was about the new coach and players before he left."

"There's not much for him to worry about," he said. "I bet you Bosely, Budds, and him put those blacks in their place."

She nodded, biting her lips as they reached his car. As he drove her home, she put her elbow on the window and rested her head on her hand, watching the trees and buildings whiz by as they both remained silent. They both sat deep in thought, and she could tell Walker was thinking about the upcoming season from the way he was gripping the steering wheel. If she knew any better, she guessed Gerry had made peace with the colored players, or even yet, had become _friends_ with them. It made her extremely nervous.

"I'm going to stop by the auto shop, that okay with you?" Walked grunted. It really wasn't a question, he just asked to be nice.

"Fine with me," she said, "I'll go return my library book while you're in the store."

He nodded as they pulled into the auto shop's parking lot. She grabbed her book from the backseat and hurried to the library a couple buildings down, trying to shake all thoughts of football camp from her mind. As she approached the red brick building, she was slightly taken aback that there was no "WHITES ONLY" sign on the front door. She glanced nervously around her, trying to decide if she was supposed to go in. Her gaze found the small drop off slot right next to the front doors and sighed in relief.

"What? Dammit!" she said softly when her book wouldn't fit into the small opening. She sighed heavily, smoothed down her hair, put on her best game face, and marched through the front doors.

She flinched slightly when she used to much force to open the doors, causing a loud bang to echo around the silent library. One of the librarians jumped, her reading glasses falling off her nose. She shot June a dirty look as she strolled past, heading towards the drop off desk on the other side of the room.

She had been to the library nearly two weeks ago and there had been two separate sections for white and colored folk. She hadn't been downtown since then because of having to make arrangements for cheerleading tryouts and camp. It was amazing how much it had changed in that short amount of time. The colored section was gone, replaced by a new children's section (empty of children and their parents, of course) and the white section had been transformed into a non-fiction section. She paused, lingering to look around at the old library which had been a part of her childhood. It was hardly the same place, and she was beginning to second guess herself if she was in the right building when she saw two colored girls sitting at a desk a few feet away from her. They were pouring over a book and giggling to themselves while three colored boys about her age were shooting them looks over the top of their comic books at another desk. The only other people in the library were a handful of white men and women who were sitting at the desks at the other side of the room. They turned up their noses every time one of the colored girls laughed, one woman even wrinkling her nose and shifting her chair so it faced away from them.

Suddenly, something crashed into her, sending her into a nearby book cart and spilling a set of encyclopedias onto the floor.

"Oh shit! Sorry about that!"

A pair of brown hands were suddenly in hers, pulling her up from the floor and putting her book back into her arms. Her gaze met a pair of dark brown eyes, some of the darkest she'd ever seen, filled with concern. He was her age, maybe a little older, with short black hair, full lips, and skin the color of mocha chocolate. She dropped her gaze, turning red with embarrassment as he dropped to the floor, scooping up four or five encyclopedias at a time and dropping them back on the cart. She stood there, dumbfounded, until he was finished. He straightened his button down shirt and flashed her a set of the whitest teeth she'd ever seen.

"Sorry again. I wasn't looking where I was going!"

She stared at him, wide-eyed with her mouth slightly open for a split second before mumbling, "M'fine" and scurrying away.

"Hey!" he called after her, sending a barrage of "Shh!"s from every direction his way. "C'mon, the least I can do is carry that for you!"

He was beside her in a second, taking the book from her arms and flashing her another smile. God, she wished he would stop doing that.

"_A Beginner's Guide to Guitar_," he read off the cover. "Ah, so you're a musician!"

She remained silent, wishing she could just melt right here and disappear into the shaggy gray carpet beneath them. The white folk were staring at them from the other side of the room, some of them whispering to one another. He was completely oblivious, staring back at her like a conversation between the two of them was perfectly normal.

"Uh," she said, stumbling over her own words. They reached the drop off desk and she thanked God under her breath, taking her book from him. She was glad he would finally leave her alone, but he stayed, that stupid smile on his face as she handed the librarian her book.

"Library card?" she asked June, an eyebrow raised towards the boy next to her.

"Oh, right," June said, fumbling through her purse until she found the flimsy piece of plastic.

"I'm Jerry," the boy said as she took her card.

"M'June," she muttered, barely audible and averting her gaze.

"Jude? Like the song?" he said, laughing. "_Hey Jude, don't make it bad! Take a sad song and make it better_!"

"Shh!" the librarian scolded, making him laugh harder.

"No, _June_," she snapped, looking him dead in the eye. The librarian gave her card back and she shoved it into her purse, perfectly annoyed with this boy. "Thanks for your help, but I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone."

He put up his hands as an act of surrender as she began to march back to the front doors. She could hear him giggling behind her as she began to leave.

"Bye Jude!" he called after her, making her grit her teeth together and give him a dirty look on her way out.

She could hear his laughter the entire way back to the auto shop.

* * *

**Disclaimer: June is yours truly, and her views do not reflect mine or anyone else's for that matter. She's a character for goodness sakes!**


	3. Competition

**7/19/12  
**

**Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter and I've got one almost finished, it should be up in a couple days! Europe was FANTASTIC, and I apologize for putting this chapter up almost a week late! (You guys still love me, right?) I was on an American Music Abroad Burgundy tour as a soprano 1 and had the most amazing experience in the world! I spent the first few days of the trip rehearsing at Franklin & Marshall college in Lancaster, PA and then the rest of the trip consisted of tours in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, AND Slovakia! It was ana amazing experience! I wrote this chapter on the seven hour flight from JFK to Zurich so I hope you guys like it!**

**"Where are we? What the hell is going on?  
The dust has only just begun to fall,  
Crop circles in the carpet, sinking, feeling.  
Spin me round again and rub my eyes.  
This can't be happening.  
When busy streets a mess with people  
would stop to hold their heads heavy."  
**

**~"Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap**

* * *

It was blistering hot outside. June couldn't help but lower her arms in the middle of every other cheer to wipe the sweat from her eyes. It had to be at least 95 degrees outside and the new uniforms they had been given just hours before were more well-insulated than the ones from last year.

"Liz," she pleaded as the girl currently twirling in the air landed gracefully in the squad's arms, "Can we have a break? We're practically dying!"

Their coach, Lizzy, an alumni of T.C. Williams with frizzy red hair and freckles that dotted her entire body, shrugged and nodded, biting her pencil as she walked back to her bench. June sighed, lifting her ponytail from her neck to let the summer breeze cool her skin. Cheerleading captain tryouts had been going on for the past four and a half hours merely because Liz couldn't make up her mind about which one out of the five four-year-seniors would become captain for the upcoming season.

"Liz..." one of the girls, Kelly, said softly, her brown eyes wide.

Three or four black girls were marching towards the squad across the field with Mrs. Hudgens, the woman how had previously taught English at the black school. The woman was large with dark curly black hair and full lips that were made for lipstick commercials. Her stance was strong and sure and even white men feared her when she had a reason to argue back. As she came closer, Liz's face grew pale, bringing out the freckles that dotted her cheeks. The girls in the squad all stared with their mouths slightly open as the parade of girls crossed onto the track and stood opposite of them, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. They hadn't even spoken to one another but the tension surrounding all of them was incredibly high. June put her hands on her hips, coming to Liz's side as an amused smile broke across Mrs. Hudgen's face.

"Can we help you?" June asked, trying to sound fierce but her voice broke, causing her face to flush in embarrassment. One of the colored girls bit her lip to keep from smiling and June shot her a dirty look, causing the girl's expression to darken.

"Yes," Mrs. Hudgens said, her voice firm and biting. "These girls are here to try out for the cheerleading squad."

Liz frowned. "Auditions aren't until next week."

A smirk crossed Mrs. Hudgens's face, almost as if she was laughing at what had just been said. "No, honey, the cheerleading captain tryouts. These girls are the most qualified in our phys ed department. They all received the presidential fitness award."

Liz laughed, tossing her fiery red hair over her shoulder. "Where are their records? I highly doubt the school district has been keeping track."

Mrs. Hudgens frowned. "The district has integrated all the extracurricular sports, including the cheer squad... unless you don't consider that a sport."

That had done it. Liz's face had turned as red as her hair and she stuttered around to find the right words. The colored girls held back their laughter before she finally grumbled, "Fine."

June's jaw dropped as Mrs. Hudgens shoved a stack of papers into Liz's hands. The colored girls gathered together, laughing and looking over their shoulder at June and Kelly who stood side-by-side with their arms crossed. Mrs. Hudgens looked around, satisfied with the situation, before hiking up her long skirt and marching off the field. However, almost immediately as she left, the colored girls' smiles disappeared as they looked at the number of white girls outnumbering them. Suddenly, June didn't feel so sure they were laughing at them. Maybe that was the only way for them to hide just how afraid they really were.

Liz glanced around, unsure of what to do. She looked at the stack of papers in her hand before chewing on her bottom lip and sitting back down on her bench.

"Well girls, looks like we're going to have to start the audition process over now that there's more... _competition_." She had a hard time getting the last word out, and the girl who had previously laughed at June shot another scowl Liz's way. She scowled right back, before putting a hand to her forehead, as if not sure how she was supposed to handle all the tension surrounding them.

"Come back tomorrow morning, bright and early. I'll have a routine worked out for auditions."

As she began packing up her things, June curiously looked over her shoulder at the group of colored girls once more. They all looked well built, with toned legs and strong arms. A couple of them had already done backhand springs and a forwards flip down the end zone, something June had struggled with until last fall.

"June!" Kelly called, her long brown hair already out of its ponytail. "C'mon, I'll drive you home! It's too hot to walk anyway."

She nodded, grateful that she wouldn't have to endure the embarrassment of walking home with the other girls. The two of them walked to Kelly's car, trying to make small talk while they thought about the possibility of a colored girl becoming captain. But June shook these thoughts from her head. It would never happen, she'd known Liz since before she was a freshman.

As she threw her bag in the backseat of Kelly's car in the parking lot, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. Two of the colored girls were coming their way, the one with the scowl in the lead. Kelly, who was already in the driver's seat, glanced at June with wide eyes before starting the car and motioning for her to get in.

"Hey," the girl said as June began to climb in. "Can we have a lift?"

June scoffed at the request and shut her door quickly, leaving the colored girl surprised with her reaction. She walked up to June's rolled down window, getting so close that she could see the sweat dotted across her forehead. She was wearing a shade of lipstick that was too bright for her and her jet black hair was coming out of her clips. Kelly was trying to hold back another laugh and June held hers back as well before putting on a serious face.

"Sorry," she said, flipping her blonde ponytail back over her shoulder. "Our stuff is in the backseat and frankly, we don't feel like moving it."

She couldn't help but release her laugh when she saw their expressions as they drove away.


	4. The Lake

**7/20/12**

**Back with another chapter so soon? Why yes! I figured I'd give you guys another chapter since I made you wait for what... three weeks? This one has a little more action than the previous so I thought this would motivate you guys to REVIEW. PLEASE. All I want is for you to review one measly chapter! :) The more reviews the sooner I'll have the chapters coming!**

**_Don't look so shocked_  
_ Don't judge so harsh_  
_ You don't know_  
_ You are only spying_  
_ Everyone knows it's going to hurt_  
_ But at least we'll get hurt trying_  
**

**~"Firewood" by Regina Spektor  
**

* * *

"June!"

Her mother's voice tried to break through her bedroom door as she jiggled the doorknob. "C'mon sweetheart, you can't stay in there forever! Let's talk about it!"

"Go away!"

June had her head buried beneath the pillow on her bed, fresh tears seeping onto the the soft fabric. She knew she was being dramatic but she didn't care. After a week of waiting, she had gotten a call from Liz half an hour ago, telling her that she hadn't gotten the spot as cheerleading captain. The school district had insisted that because Gerry had the position of captain of the football team it was only appropriate a colored girl should become cheerleading captain. So the colored girl who'd been denied a ride, Regina Myers, had taken the position June had been dreaming of since she was a freshman.

She heard her mother's footsteps leave, letting her head emerge from her pillow and throwing it across the room. She rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling, unable to stop the new flow of tears running down her cheeks. She lay there for a moment, squeezing her eyes shut with her fists balled up before she exhaled slowly, letting herself relax. She sat up and picked up her phone. It rang three times before a familiar, husky voice said, "_Hello_?"

"Walker? Hey, it's me. Do you want to do something tonight? I need to get my mind off things."

"_Yeah I heard, babe. I'll pick you up in half an hour. We can go to the lake._"

She smiled through her tears. "Thanks. See you then."

Half an hour was just enough time for her to put on a new skirt and freshen up her makeup. Her new cheerleading uniform, the one with _T.C. Williams_ branded on the front, lay in a crumpled heap at the foot of her bed. She had kept it at the foot of the stairs since tryouts but her mother insisted she move it after Ken had tracked mud all over it. She frowned at it, putting her hands on her hips and trying to decide if she should hang it up when she heard a car's horn outside. She ran to her open window, leaning out and a smile breaking across her face when she saw Walker's car sitting in the driveway.

She bounded down the stairs, narrowly avoiding a rubber band Ken shot at her from the living room. On a normal day, she would confront him and twist his ear, but right now all she wanted was to get out of the house.

"June!"

Her mother emerged from the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish rag. "It's 8:30... where are you going? I have brownies in the oven-"

"I have to get out of here," she mumbled, throwing open the screen door and running down the porch steps. Walker began pulling out of the driveway as soon as she had shut the passenger door behind her, putting one arm around her shoulders and using the other to steer. The drive to the lake was a short one, but they sat in silence. She smiled slightly, leaning into his arm. She already felt better, like someone was finally here to protect her. Most people took Walker as an angry person who was a machine that could tear through opponents like they were paper at wrestling matches, but he was just protective and didn't like change which was why the integration was such a challenge for him.

The car pulled into the parking lot just in front of the edge of the shore. The two got out and walked towards the pier, hand in hand. Her hair blew in the late summer breeze as they took off their shoes, sitting themselves on the edge and dangling their feet in the warm water. The sun was still setting, its reflection giving the water an orange glow. A group of children were playing at the old tire swing a few feet away, jumping into the water and creating small waves that lapped at their feet.

"This sucks," she said at last, biting her lip. Walker remained silent, his fists clenched into balls, but he loosened one enough to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"I know, babe. I know."

The children's laughter echoed around them, as if to mock how they were feeling. Walker took a few deep breaths, putting his hand around her waist and pulling her closer. She blushed, her cheeks turning a rosy pink she knew he adored. She rested her head on his shoulder and began to hum one of the marches they play at the football games.

"June," he said, pulling away slightly. "Please, I don't need to be reminded of football anymore."

She nodded, splashing her feet in the water. She didn't understand why all of a sudden the school district she had been to dedicated to all these years had taken away the only thing she'd really wanted since entering high school.

"This is just shit!"

He couldn't help himself, but he burst out laughing. He knew she was upset, and he was too, but that was the first time he'd heard her curse since they'd known each other. She was the type of girl that went to church every Sunday and wore a cross around her neck. He hadn't even seen her so much as burp without saying "Excuse me!" afterwards. But her dark expression made him stop and he picked up a stone, throwing it as far as he could.

"I don't even know what to say anymore," he said. "It's like everything we were ever taught as kids is being thrown to the wind. They give us a nice school building with PTA meetings and shiny red slides, separating us from the black school with every ounce of power they have. But with one little threat, they throw all morals to the wind and expect us to just get along?"

She was quiet, knowing there wasn't an answer to his question. Instead, she stood up, putting on her shoes, and walked to the other side of the pier, leaning far over to watch the fish. The sun had finally set and the water was an eerie black, the darkness broken only by the glimmer of fish scales in the moonlight. A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, and when she spun around she was looking into Walker's dark brown eyes. A small smile was playing on his lips as he put a hand on the small of her back and leaned in to kiss her.

All thoughts of cheerleading and football were lost as he leaned her backwards and deepened the kiss. His fingers were tangled in her hair, pressing himself closer to her. The two were lost in the moment until June took a step back. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized she'd stepped off the pier! She grabbed Walker's shirt, hoping to regain her balance but instead, it sent them both over into the water, their lips still pressed against one another's.

June came to the surface gasping for air, letting out a groan when she saw her skirt had mud on it. Walker surfaced next to her, his matted down hair covering his eyes. As he pushed it out of the way, they stared at each other in shock with water dripping from their faces before he began to laugh. She drew her eyebrows together, irritated he found it funny they were both soaked, but she couldn't help but smile when he swam close to her wrapped his arms around her once more. She hadn't seem him this romantic since when they'd first started dating. Maybe it was the integration that had made him so passionate, or maybe the fact she'd been cheated of out cheerleading captain. Either way, she liked the way he was channeling it all.

She leaned into him a little too much, sending them toppling back into the water once more. However, he didn't let go but continued to kiss her. Even when they were both momentarily underwater. They broke apart for a moment, catching their breath and looking up at the half moon above them, its reflection in their eyes.

"We should go," she said, brushing wet strands of hair from her eyes. "It's getting late and my mother didn't want me out anyway."

He nodded, kissing her one last time before swimming back to the pier and hauling himself up. He offered her a hand, helping pull her up as well but burst into laughter when she realized she was missing a shoe. They saw the red Mary Jane floating away from them and she muttered something along the lines of "Forget it" before chucking her other shoe into the lake as well.

Her mother was waiting at the door when they pulled into her driveway. Giving him a peck on the cheek, she climbed out of the car and wrung her hair out the nearby rose bush. She could tell her mother wasn't angry, just annoyed. It wasn't until they were inside did her mother finally say something.

"I don't even want to know," she said, eyeing her wet clothes. "But you are not to run out of this house without my permission."

"Yes ma'am," June said, keeping her voice low.

Her mother nodded, seeing anymore discussion of the topic would be overkill. "Now go clean up and don't get any mud on the carpet."

After a hot shower, June was back in her room staring at her cheerleading uniform. She should just quit the squad, that would show what she thought of Liz's decision! But she knew colored people made Liz as uncomfortable as herself. The decision had probably been made by the head of the phys ed department and she was just the messenger.

She paused to stare at herself in the mirror, almost laughing at her appearance with wet hair and no makeup on. Her piercing blue eyes stared back at her as she laid out other possible decisions. She could still quit, but that would motivate the other girls to quit as well and that would leave the high school with an all black cheering squad which was the last thing any white student would want. She'd have to stay and represent the better side of the district. And maybe with a little intimidation the colored girls would leave and she'd be back on top.

She grinned as she pulled her covers back and crawled into bed. When her lights were out and her eyes had adjusted to the dark, she rolled on her side where she could see the moon through the slits of her blinds. The events from the lake began to play back in her mind and she felt butterflies in her stomach as she though about her kissing Walker in the water.

She fell asleep smiling.

* * *

**Disclaimer: June's views obviously do not reflect mine in any way! She's just a character. **


	5. A Debate

**7/27/12**

**I am so excited! This story is really starting to take off and I couldn't help but upload another chapter! (We've got some Rev action in this one, ALRIGHT!) I've had a lot of time to write since I've been back from Europe and I hope I can write the majority of this story before marching band kicks off. In the middle of writing this chapter I fell asleep with my head on the page and woke up with half of the chapter on my cheek since the ink hadn't dried yet when I put my head down. LOL! Thank you to those of you who have reviewed this story so far! Just remember, I not only write fanfics to get crazy alternate story lines out of my head, I write for you guys! RTT hasn't gotten nearly enough fanfic and I want to bring some attention back to this movie since it's one of my favorites! So if you haven't reviewed yet, REVIEW! I want to know what you guys like and don't like so I can improve and work on my writing! So anyway, enjoy chapter four! I really enjoyed writing this! :)**

**_That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles,_  
_And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet"_  
**

**~"Love Story" by T-Swift**

* * *

The first day of school arrived faster than anyone had anticipated. Tensions had risen once the word spread that a colored girl had been chosen as cheerleading captain and June's entire family had been playing nice to her since Liz's phone call. She sneezed at the dinner table a couple of nights ago and Ken had actually said "bless you" to her for the first time she could remember. And Walker had invited her to go bowling with some of the guys on the wrestling team, something he'd never done before.

Ken was out the door, running to the middle school while June lagged behind, caught up with kisses, tears, and photographs about her last first day of school. When she had finally wrestled herself out of her mother's arms she only had fifteen minutes to walk to school _and_ get to homeroom before the bell rang.

"Bye Momma!" she cried over her shoulder, skirt flying as she raced out of her neighborhood. The elementary kids snickered at her as she ran past them. She kept her books tight under one arm as she glanced at her watch, yelping at how she only had seven minutes and she wasn't even halfway there yet. She rounded the corner and the high school came into view, but the very sight of it made her stop in her tracks.

There were protestors backed up all the way to the baseball fields, some of them jumping in front of the buses as they rolled into the parking lot. The police were struggling to keep it under control as they held back the crowd from students trying to enter the building. But the protestors weren't the ones catching her attention the most. It was the crowd of black students fathered by the school's front doors. They looked terrified, shoulder to shoulder with the person next to them as they looked at the chaos. She recognized one group as the girls that had showed up at cheerleading tryouts. They were all staring at her, their lips pursed and eyes narrowed. Regina Myers stood the closest to her as she walked but past, but she either didn't see her or chose to ignore her, absentmindedly tucking a stray piece of black hair back into her headband and they carried on with their conversation.

As she neared the front doors, the shouting from the protestors became increasingly louder. A few parents held signs that read "Mothers Against Busing!" and "Separation, NOT Integration!" while others shouted rude names to the colored students getting off the buses. She looked around, noticing she was the only white student standing near the doors. She panicked, looking around wildly through the sea of dark faces. Just because they integrated the two schools didn't mean they had integrated the student body.

"June! Hey, June, over here!"

Emma was waving to her from the lunch tables not far off. She sighed in relief as she saw returning students, _white_ students, from last year swarming use a few feet away. She ran to greet her, a smile breaking across her face when she saw she was standing with Alan Bosely and Ray Budds, two of Walker's close friends who were on the football team. Both boys were stiff and looked tense, especially Ray. Walker, Gerry, and he had been best friends since before she could remember. And even though Gerry was now, god forbid, _friends_ with some of the colored players on the team after football camp, Ray's views had stayed the same and for that she was relieved.

"Hey June!" Alan said as she neared them, flashing her a smile. "How was your summer?"

Alan Bosely had been going to church with June since they were six. She couldn't remember a single Sunday school class without his pranks on the teachers and witty comments. He still had the baby cheeks he had then and his blonde hair was slicked back in the same way it had always been, accenting his blue eyes. He looked scrawny compared to Ray, who was well built with a firm jaw line. Alan looked like the type who should run track or play soccer, not play defense on a football team. He only played because his father had signed him up as a freshman for junior varsity, but everyone knew he had a slim chance of becoming an All-American now that he was a senior.

"Crazy," she said, keeping her voice low as she looked around. "Can you believe this?"

Ray's eyes narrowed and he shook his head in frustration. "It's bullshit."

Alan looked from Emma to June to Ray, looking uncomfortable and unsure how to respond. It wasn't until Emma ran off to go talk to Gerry did he speak up.

"The bell's been postponed for half an hour so staff and police can get this cleaned out," he said, running a hand through his hair. "I wouldn't be surprised if we had protests every day this month!"

"Hope they keep it up," Ray said, loosening his collar as he spoke. "The longer they stay, the longer we get to avoid being put in the same room as _them_." He said the last word as if there was something bitter in his mouth he needed to spit out. Alan shuffled his feet, excusing himself and disappearing into the crowd.

It seemed Gerry wasn't the only one who had changed.

"Where's Walker?" she asked, moving closer to Ray as a pair of black boys brushed past them. He shot them a dirty look, making them walk faster. "With some friends, I suppose. The wrestling team had sign ups early this morning."

One of the principals burst through the front doors, signaling for everyone to come inside.

"I'll walk you to homeroom," Ray said, taking her books and putting his hand on the small of her back, urging her forward. The black students had already begun climbing the steps to the doors but a group of white students, including June and Ray, stepped in front of them. A black boy a year or two younger than June stuck his foot out, causing Ray to stumble as he walked by. She saw fire flicker in his eyes as he turned around, arm raised.

"Ray!" June hissed, grabbing his arm. "C'mon, don't be stupid. You'll be kicked off the team!"

He was gritting his teeth together as a smile played on the boy's lips. He lowered his arm, his stare deadly as he said, "You better watch it, boy. One more step out of line and you won't have any teeth left to smile with." He put an arm around her shoulders and they hurried inside.

That morning was a blur or textbooks and forms parents needed to sign. She ended up being locker buddies with Emma which was quite a relief. Physics and American Government were going to be a snore because she had the same teachers as last year. And they hadn't bothered making a seating chart so the black students sat on one side of the room while the white students sat on the other. It wasn't until she reached AP English at the end of the day did she start getting anxious.

Mrs. Hudgens was sitting at the teacher's desk, straightening papers with a smile on her face. Students were milling about, the white students feeling the most uncomfortable as they pushed to the back of the classroom. Kelly was standing near the window and June went to join her. The two girls stood side by side, silent, until Kelly spoke up.

"Did you see the new student from California?" she asked. "His name's Ronnie Bass! He's on the football team and he's _so_ cute!"

"Oh, really?" June said, perking up at the conversation. With all the new black students wandering the hallways, she hadn't had time to see if there were any new students she didn't recognize from last year.

The bell rang and Mrs. Hudgens stood up and closed the door, causing the chatter among the students to stop.

"Welcome to AP English!" she exclaimed, the swish of her long skirt the only sound that could be heard as she went to stand in front of her desk. "I have a seating chart printed on this paper." She waved it around before setting it on the stack of books in front of her. "No arguments, no switching. This is where you'll be sitting for the duration of the semester so you might as well get used to it. Please put your reports from your summer reading on your desk and I'll be around to collect them."

June swallowed nervously before joining the other students to find her seat.

"Third row back, second from the left," she muttered under her breath after reading her name on the list. She sat down at the creaky old desk and looked around her. Mrs. Hudgens was clever. She had the students completely integrated! Now that white and black students were sitting next to each other you could hear a pin drop in the room. A colored girl sat on either side of her, but thankfully, there were more white students than black so she also had classmates from last year sitting around her.

Once everyone was settled, Mrs. Hudgens looked around, smiling to herself. "Good! No problems? Alright then, introduce yourself to your neighbor while I come around and collect your reports."

June bit her lip, pretending to be intrigued with the zipper on her jacket. Many students did no more than merely mumble their names. Alex Cliff, the kid with goofy glasses and curly brown hair who had been her lab partner last year, turned around and flashed his crooked teeth at her. He was nearly eighteen and _still_ hadn't gotten his braces off. She rolled her eyes and glanced behind her, seeing she was sitting in front of Alan. He leaned forward in his seat and said in a low voice, "Talk about awkward situations..."

She nodded, pushing her report to the edge of her desk when Mrs. Hudgens began walking down their row. She grimaced when her dark, meaty hand lingered on her desk. When she finally walked away, she let out the breath she'd been holding, surprised Mrs. Hudgens hadn't left dirt marks where her hand had been.

"It's okay, sweetheart. She scares the best of us."

The voice came from the black girl sitting next to her. She was twirling a pencil through her dark fingers, a small smile on her face as they made eye contact.

Regina Myers.

June instantly felt such intense hatred bubbling up in her stomach that it made her want to throw up. She was so pathetic, with her knock off shoes and drug store lipstick. The only thing keeping her head that high was that she knew she was cheerleading captain and June was jealous. Her stiff, black hair was pulled out of her face by a headband and she had a plaid skirt on which showed her scabby knees. Her lips were pursed together until she opened them to say something, her hand held out.

"I'm Regina Myers."

June's eyes narrowed and she scoffed at her outstretched hand. Her dark fingertips lingered for a moment before she dropped it, turning to talk to the girl behind her.

"Geez, June, a bit harsh?" Alan said, eyebrows drawn together.

"Get off my case, Bosely," she snapped, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "She hates me just as much as I hate her. No use in pretending otherwise."

Mrs. Hudgens spoke up again, listing off her expectations for the semester. All the black students were attentive, but everyone else was slouched down in their seats, rolling their eyes and crossing their arms.

"I'm going to start off the course with a little class discussion," she said, seating herself on the edge of her desk. "I know tensions are high right now and no one wants to be seated next to the person on either side of them, but we can all get along and respect each other at the very least."

"Like I'll respect one of those animals," the white boy behind Alan muttered.

Alan and Regina both whipped around, their eyes like daggers as they stared at him.

"Got a problem, Bosely?" he mocked. "You're just a piss off to everyone in the room... anyone that matters at least-"

"_Romeo and Juliet_!" Mrs. Hudgen exclaimed, startling all of them and making the boy shut his trap. "Y'all had to read it over the summer so I thought we could start off by discussing their relationship." Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. "Do you think Romeo and Juliet were really in love or was it just lust and hasty decision making?"

The class remained deadly silent. No one dared raise their hand. A black student would immediately get their opinion shot down and no white student wanted to admit they were alright with the integration by answering to a black woman.

Well, maybe except one.

"Yes, Mr. Bosely?"

June groaned, putting her head in her hands. He was going to get his ass kicked for sure.

"Well," he began, his eyebrows drawn together in deep thought, "I believe it was true love. I mean, if I like a girl but don't love her, I wouldn't be drinking a vial of poison just because she died. I think if any of us were to ever consider killing ourselves for someone else we'd have to really love them!"

A couple of wolf whistles came from the black students on the other side of the room. Alan grinned, mouthing something to one of the boys before turning back to Mrs. Hudgens.

"Thank you, that was very... _honest_," she said, hiding a smile. "Anyone else?"

Again, silence. The only sound that could be heard was the shuffling of feet and creaking of desks. Mrs. Hudgens sighed, looking around the room. "Since no one wants to volunteer, how about you, Miss Simmons?"

June felt her face grow warm as everyone turned to look at her. She swallowed hard, trying to gather her thoughts before she blurted out, "I disagree!"

"Interesting," Mrs. Hudgens said. "Go on."

She looked at Alan, who was ready to laugh at whatever she had to say. She sighed, balling up her hands into fists under her desk as she continued.

"Juliet is only twelve. I don't know a single twelve year-old girl that can handle a relationship, much less a marriage! Romeo is only a few years older than her, and we all know boys take years longer to mature than girls do."

Her last comment drew chuckles from the girls around her, making June smile herself.

"Their _marriage_, I feel, was done out of spite towards Juliet's unwillingness to marry Paris. Marrying Romeo was the only way to get revenge on her parents-"

"Mrs. Hudgens," a voice said from the back of the room, "I'd like to disagree."

June whipped around, daring to see who was going to challenge her. But when she saw the mocha chocolate skin and the dark eyes, she let out a small gasp. The boy from the library was smiling at her as he leaned back in his chair, cocking an eyebrow.

"Jerry Harris?" Mrs. Hudgens asked, reading his name off the seating chart.

"Yes ma'am," he said. "May I?"

June crossed her arms as he began to speak.

"You talk as if marriage lies in one person's hands. Romeo agreed to marry Juliet just as she did with him, so the marriage wasn't out of spite towards her parents-"

"Then out of lust!" she exclaimed, slamming a fist down on her desk, making the students around her jump. "I mean, as soon as they were alone together they were taking their clothes off and having quite a party if you know what I mean!"

Most of the students began laughing under their breaths. The boy's eyes lip up, amused at her response. "Going at it after marriage was completely acceptable! A relationship is built upon emotional and physical attraction! You can't have one without the other! They may have been young, but keep in mind most girls married at that age."

"But they got married to much older men!" she snapped. "They were both acting out of lust and inexperience. Their whole relationship resembles nothing more than a silly middle school crush!" She was growing frustrated and annoyed at this boy. He had an attitude that he knew everything and was the shit. His full lips were now twisted into a grin she wanted to slap off his face.

"Romeo and Juliet may have moved quickly into their marriage," he said, leaning forward to get a good view of her, "But who are we to judge that it's not true love? Just because some of us wait and date our partners for years doesn't mean your relationship is better than a couple who just started dating."

June's face grew red and she pursed her lips together, racking her brain for a response. Regina was keeled over at her desk, laughing her head off at June's expression. The rest of the black students were giving him high fives and pats on the back. Mrs. Hudgens was smiling before she shushed the class and moved on to explaining the first assignment of the year. June slouched in her seat, trying to ignore the snickers coming from Alan. Regina continued to laugh until Alan poked her in the side, warning her to stop. When the bell rang at the end of the period, she quickly gathered her things and bolted out of the room.

"Jude! Hey Jude!"

"Dear God, no!" she muttered under her breath, glancing around the hallway to try and find someone she knew, but it was the end of the day and most of the students had already packed up and left. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the boy from the library coming her way. She dashed into the school's choir room, going to shut the door but it was too late. He was already right behind her, humming "Hey Jude" under his breath.

"Jerry Harris," he said, offering a hand out to her. Again, she stared at it, trying to ignore he was there at all. "I realized I never introduced myself at the library a couple of weeks ago."

"I'm just here to pick up some choir music," she blurted out, waiting to slap herself for making up such a silly excuse. She wasn't in the chorus! She couldn't even sing!

His eyes lit up once more. "Me too! I'm a tenor! What are you?"

"Uh," she said, trying to think of a response.

"Never mind, that's not why I'm here," he said, flashing her a smile. "I'm sorry if I came off as rude today in class. I just think that in _Romeo-_"

"I don't care what you think," she butted in, grabbing a piece of music off the nearby piano. "Just stay away from me!"

She stormed out, leaving him confused as she walked outside. Walker was waiting for her, taking her books as soon as she was close enough. As he walked her home, complaining about all the black students and having Coach Boone as his gym teacher, she decided she wouldn't bring up Jerry Harris to him. The last thing she wanted was Walker to get kicked off the wrestling team for fighting.

He kissed her cheek when they reached her house, running off to meet some friends of his at the soda shop. Her mother and Ken weren't home so she sat down at their old upright and began to play. After a few minutes of Chopin and Mozart, her curiosity got the better of her and she looked at the piece of music she'd taken off from the choir room, groaning when she saw the title.

It was an African spiritual.


	6. I'll Catch You

**7/31/12**

**So let's talk about feedback! I want to know what you guys think of June, because she's not your typical Mary-Sue OC, right? :) Does she deserve Rev or do you think Walker suits her just fine? Review and tell me! Constructive criticism is always welcomed! I'd rather have someone tell me how to improve instead of just complimenting me!  
**

**Yes, this chapter is much shorter than the previous but has a new twist in it which I think you guys will find exciting! I'm really enjoying writing this and I can't wait to start getting to the football games! Again, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! You'll make my little heart dance with joy if you do! Thank you for those who have taken the time to do so. Now, on with the chapter!  
**

**_Oh, all that I know,_  
_ There's nothing here to run from,_  
_ 'Cause yeah, everybody here's got somebody to lean on_  
**

**~"Don't Panic" by Coldplay  
**

* * *

"_Titans got the power! Titans got the heat! Titans got the spirit to knock you off your feet!_"

June carefully positioned herself in front of the row of girls, doing a backwards flip and gracefully landing in a split that made her wince. The squad had been rehearsing every day after school for the past two weeks. There were only fourteen girls, but including June and Kelly, only six of them were white. The squad was half the size of what it was last year mainly because most of the girls' mothers wouldn't let them cheer on the same squad as colored girls.

"Get off our field!" "Go back to where you came from!"

A group of boys were standing by the entrance to the stadium, pointing and laughing at Regina and two of her friends. A policeman saw them, scaring them off with a wave of his badge, but their jeers echoed around the field until they were well out of sight. Regina's face was scrunched up into a scowl as she faced the squad.

"Alright girls," she cried, clearing her throat, "One more time! One, two, ready, go!"

The run went smoothly, white and black girls cheering next to each other with little conflict, but when the girls split into groups for lifting the segregation became evident. June helped hoist Kelly into the air with the other white girls on the squad, nearly screaming their cheers as she positioned and twirled herself in the air.

"GIRLS!"

June jumped, nearly dropping Kelly as she landed in her teammate's arms. Liz was marching across the field, a grown on her face as she neared them.

"Regina," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "This isn't what we discussed yesterday."

The captain stepped forward, looking around at the separated girls and shrugged her shoulders. "There's not much I can do. If they don't want to interact, then that's just fine with me."

"I agree," June said, stepped forward as well. "It's bad enough we lost half the squad to the integration. We did what they wanted, I mean, we're all on the same field and not killing each other yet. Don't make us mix."

Liz cocked her head to the side, studying them both. "I don't understand this squad," she said, now addressing all the girls. "For the past few weeks the football team has come together but we're still struggling to even speak to one another!"

June and Regina quickly glanced at each other, averting their eyes almost as soon as they made eye contact. The rest of the girls were looking at Liz, not quite sure how to respond.

"Myers, Simmons, I want you two in the same group. Johnson, Peters, and Gawn can join you." With a flip of her red hair, she began yelling at the other girls to get in groups for lifting. Suzanne Johnson and Chanel Gawn were two colored girls June had see hanging around with Regina searlier, who she assumed were her close friends. Lily Peters was a junior who had cheered next to June all last season. She towered over the rest of the girls, standing at a solid 5'11". She almost wasn't let onto the squad but June convinced Liz she'd be great for spotting.

They all stood in a circle, facing each other. Lily had her arms crossed as she stared at Regina who was deep in thought.

"June," she said at last, "Suzanna, Chanel, and I will lift you. Lily'll spot you, alright?"

"Why do _I_ have to be lifted?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Gawn is definitely lighter than I am!"

Regina grabbed her arm, pulling her off to the side. "Lay off!" June exclaimed, ripping her arm from her grasp once they were behind the bleachers.

"What's your problem?" Regina growled, leaning against the ticket counter.

"_My_ problem?" June hissed, taking a threatening step forward. "I don't know, maybe I was the most qualified to be cheerleading captain and suddenly the school district thinks some black trash can take it away from me!"

Anger flickered across Regina's dark eyes. The angry expression on June's face turned to shock as Regina slapped her. She held a hand to her cheek, feeling it beginning to swell.

"What the he-"

"Listen," Regina threatened, coming so close to June their noses were almost touching. "I worked just as hard as you did for this position, probably even harder! I've spent years doing gymnastics in my backyard and lifting broken weights after school. I wasn't just handed this position out of the blue. I earned it and you just can't accept that fact!"

June was surprised that smoke wasn't billowing out of her nostrils. She had _slapped_ her! And not only that, but she talked back to her!

"I could get you kicked off the squad for hitting me!" she cried, showing off the red mark on her cheek. Regina merely rolled her eyes before replying, "And I could get you kicked off the squad for not being a team-player! I don't have anything personal against you. If you hate me, fine, but just as long as you are on my squad you won't let a damn ounce of prejudice show when you are out there cheering."

She fell silent, breathing hard and watching June as she bit her lip, hands clenched into fists.

"I _will_ catch you when we lift you," Regina said, tightening her ponytail and wiping sweat from her forehead. "You have to trust me. I want to be on this squad just as much as you do and this white and black shit isn't going to stop me from being on this team, if you can call it that." She paused long enough to hand June a handkerchief as a drop of blood fell from the corner of her mouth.

"Sorry I hit you," she said, lowering her voice. "Let's get back out there and get this over with."

June held the handkerchief to her face, the soft fabric soothing against her throbbing cheek. She was still angry, but she was glad to know they were both passionate about the squad and willing to fight their way against anyone who wanted to tear it apart. As they emerged from behind the bleachers, she quickly wiped all the blood from her mouth and shoved the handkerchief back into Regina's hands. The squad was silent, including Liz, as the two girls went back to their group and got into position.

"What happened to your face?" Lily asked. "Shut up," June replied, motioning for the girls to gather around her.

"What are y'all staring at?" Regina shouted at the rest of the squad who were motionless and wide-eyed. They began bustling about, girls being tossed and lifted in a matter of seconds. Regina, Chanel, and Suzanne all had their hands out, ready for June while Lily stood behind them. June took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them again and stepping onto their hands.

June had only been lifted a few times in her cheerleading experiences. By the end of her freshman year she was deemed too tall to be lifted, standing at 5'6", three inches over the school's limit. She tried to remember the proper form and positions to assume but it couldn't stop the shaking in her knee as she was lifted over the girls' heads.

"_Titans are ready! Titans are smooth! Titans will take control and stomp all over you_!"

She felt her heart leap into her throat as she was lowered slightly, giving her momentum as she was launched into the air. Her actions seemed to move in slow motion as she did a toe touch. Squeezing her eyes shut, she braced herself for impact with the turf as she began to fall back down, but four strong pairs of hands caught her. When she peeked one eye open, she was looking into Regina's dark ones.

"I told you I would catch you."


End file.
